Ball-catcher s glove



(No Mode-I.)

H'. L. NARAMORB. BALL CATGHERS GLOVE.

No. 436,540. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

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UNITED ,STATES HENRY L. NAEAMoRE, or

PATENT OFFICE.

SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BALL-CATCH ERS G LOVE..-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,540, dated. September 16, 1890.

Application filed June 30, 1890.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. NARAMORE, of Sharon, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball-Catchers Gloves, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to gloves to be used by base-ball catchers; and it has for its object to provide a catchers glove which shall be sufficiently elastic to prevent injury to the hand by the shook or jar caused by the impact of the ball, and which shall be strong and durable, and also adapted to facilitate the retention of the ball at the central portion of the palm ofthe glove.

To these ends my invention consists in the improved glove which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view of a catchers glove embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both the figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide as a cushion or covering for the front portion of the catchers glove a sheet d of any suitable textile material-such as burlap or other coarse fabric-through which are drawn a large number of loops h, composed of unspun Wool or hair or other suitable fibrous material, said loops being preferably composed of ropings or rovings of wool in the condition in which the wool is supplied to spinning-machines, the fibers of the wool being substantially parallel with each other and not spun or twisted. The ropings or rovings are drawn in loops through the meshes of the sheet a by any suitable means, such asby hooks or other appliances. The sheet a is formed to cover the palm and fingers of the wearer of the glove, and also, by preference, the thumb, although, if desired, the sheet may be formed of sufficient size to cover the palm, iin gers and thumb without having a recess or indentation between the finger and thumb portions. The loops b are thickly arranged upon the sheet a, so as to entirely cover the same, their ends or outer portions collectively forming a practically continuous elastic covering or cushion,

Serial No. 357,225. (No model.)

the thickness of which depends upon the length of the loops.

I have found that a cushion composed of loops of the character above described constitutes a covering which is Well adapted for use on ball-catchers gloves, rst, because it is sufficiently elastic and yielding to absorb the excessive shock or jar attending the impact of the ball upon the glove, and, secondly, because it is sufficiently strong and durable to prevent disintegration or rapid deterioration by extended use.

I'Ieretofore felt has been used as the cushioning material for gloves of this kind; but it has been found that the hard blows of the ball against the felt causes the latterI to disintegrate rapidly and become reduced to a mealy condition, so that gloves with felt cushions are objectionable on account of their lack of durability. This objection, as will be readily seen, does not apply to my improved glove, the tufts of wool or hair, disposed as described, in arches the crowns of which are presented outwardly, being adapted for long-continued use without the disintegration of the fibers or. their reduction toa mealy or powdered condition.

I prefer to make the loops h shorter at that portion of the glove which is over the central portion of the palm of the hand, thereby forming a depression d in the palm, which facilitates the retention of the ball by the glove, said depression being of such area thata considerable portion of the ball can be received in it, its edges constituting a sort of wall or shoulder around the ball to prevent the latter from slipping sidewise off from the palm of the glove. I have here shown the loops h, that cover the thumb portion e of the glove, separated from the loops that cover the palm portion by a narrow space f, extending alongthe entire length of the thumb at its junction with the palm. This space or opening f gives the thumb greater freedom to move independently than would be afforded if the loops extended continuously from the palmi across the thumb. I do not limit myself to this construction, however, and may make the cushion without the space between the palm and thumb, if preferred.

g represents an inner cushion of felt, which is interposed between the outer cushion above ICQ described, composed of the sheet a and fibrous loops b, said felt cushion being between the sheet a and the lining 'i of the glove, which bears directly upon the wearers hand. Said felt cushion gives additional protection to the wearers hand, and is protected in a measure by the fibrous loops b ofthe outer cushion, so that it is not as liable to be disintegrated by use as the felt cushions arranged as heretofore to constitute the entire cushioning portion of the glove.

j represents a covering of flexible skin or leather, or any other suitable glove material. Said covering is suitably incorporated into the body of the glove and extends across the outer ends of the loops b, entirely covering the same, so that they are not liable to be 'frayed out or caughtas they would be if exother fibrous material secured to a suitable backing sheet or holder and placed upon the front of the glove, as set forth.

2. Al base-ball-caichers glove having a cushion composed of loops of unspun wool or hair or other fibrous material covering the front of the glove and provided with a pocket or depression at its central portion, said pocket or depression being formed by shortening the loops at that portion, as set forth.

3. In a base-ball-catchers glove, a cushion composed of loops of unspun wool or hair or other fibrous material attached to a suitable backing and formed to cover the palm and thumb portions of the glove, the loops covering the thumb portion being separated from the loops covering the palm portion by an open space, whereby the flexibility of the thumb is increased, as set forth.

4. In a base-ball-catchers glove, the combination of an outer cushion composed of loops of unspun wool or hair or other fibrous material attached to a suitable supporting-sheet, and an inner cushion of felt covered and protected by said outer cushion, as set forth.

5. In a base-ball-catchers glove, the combination of a cushion composed of loops of unspun wool or hair or other fibrous material attached to a suitable support, and a covering j of suitable material incorporated into the glove and extending across the outer ends of said loops, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of June, A. D. 1890.

HENRY L. NARAMORE.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRIsoN. 

